01:3 - A Clockwork Orange
The party heads east to Al Taqar, where they attempt to broker a trade deal with the local merchants' guild. Upon learning that the Dragon God-King Shenlong, may his years be numbered in the thousands, is mourning for his late pet paradise bird and has forbidden all trade, the party ventures into the gardens of the Dragon God-King (may fortune rain upon his family unto the fifth generation) - really a giant rainforest full of hunting cats and carnivorous plants. They hunt down a new paradise bird, teach it some witty phrases, and present it to the Dragon God-King, may his breath always be minty-fresh, who is pleased and lifts the ban. The party negotiates a trade agreement and returns to Al Madena with two camels full of oranges. Noteable Lore * The Dragon God-King Shenlong (may his foes suffer a thousand illnesses) is vain, impetuous, and seems at least slightly crazy - but he's also all-powerful within the bounds of Al Taqar, even in the wilderness of his gardens, so if you'd like to remain undigested, pay proper respect. * The Dragon God-King (may the moon shine bright upon him) is a bird fancier, seemingly drawn to colourful birds. * The city of Al Taqar does not produce dates, but they do have an abundance of oranges. There is now a regular merchant caravan taking advantage of this. Loot * Two camels, traded to House Al-Rashib. * The ever-present blessing of the Dragon God-King Shenlong, may he forever join the fastest-moving queue when two or more queues are available. = Mohammed's Report = Note: Some details here are redacted due to nondisclosure agreements signed with the Al Madena Guild of Merchants. Our party set off from Al Madena, sponsored by the Guild of Merchants, with the goal of reaching Al Taqar, discovering any watering holes along the way, and possibly negotiating some sort of trade deal. After some initial teething troubles, we found ourselves looping south slightly, and ran across The Tar Pit Oasis located somewhat east of Al Madena. There we encountered a number of small salamanders, which were very territorial, and which we had to drive off with violence. Departing from there, we headed REDACTED for REDACTED days, until we reached a second oasis in the desert. On the way we lost track of Aeiko, although we were able to find him again. Strangely, he had found himself several days ahead of us. We are unsure why this happened, but we highly recommend that parties taking this route stay close together and keep regular check on their members. Of note, we did not encounter the Sand Worm on this journey, suggesting that our route is considerably safer than that trod by previous adventurers. Eventually, we reached the walls of Al Taqar. We were let in with guest passes, which are also required should you wish to leave the city. We spoke to Hassan, a representative of the Al Taqar Guild of Merchants, who explained that the Dragon God-King Shenlong, may he be blessed with cool breezes, had recently lost his prized paradise bird, and was in a period of mourning. At this time, trade was forbidden within the city, so the Guild of Merchants was currently idle. All the birds in the city were either already in the possession of the Dragon God-King, may his ice-cream never melt, or within the Dragon God-King's (blessings be upon his person) garden, an overgrown rainforest of danger. We headed to the garden to retrieve a paradise bird for the Dragon God-King, may his scales ever be shiny. After a long trek through overgrown jungle, Aeiko was able to tempt a bird to the ground with the promise of dates. On the way back we were attacked by a giant wildcat, but my companions were able to see it off. Upon our return, we presented the bird to the Dragon God-King, may peace reign over his lands, who was much pleased by the gift. He lifted the ban across the city, and with trade resumed we were able to negotiate a favourable deal with the Guild of Merchants. We returned to Al Madena with two camels, both laden with oranges. Category:Actual Play